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caramel pie
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4.83 from 17 votes

Caramel Pie Recipe

Caramel Pie is a quintessential Thanksgiving dessert! This stunningly sweet homemade pie is rich with a caramel custard filling, which has the most deliciously silky consistency. Just pour in the filling, let it set, and serve!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Chill Time2 hours
Total Time2 hours 30 minutes
Course: Dessert, pie
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 slices
Author: Becky Hardin

Equipment

  • Kitchen Scale (optional)
  • Pie Pan

Ingredients

  • 1 9-inch pie crust 213 grams; baked according to the package
  • 1 cup brown sugar 213 grams
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour 60 grams
  • 4 large egg yolks 56 grams
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup milk 227 grams, 2% or whole
  • 1 cup heavy cream 227 grams, do not substitute
  • 1 cup granulated sugar 200 grams
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 42 grams (⅜ stick), salted works too
  • Whipped cream optional, for topping

Instructions

  • Add the brown sugar, flour, egg yolks, and salt to a saucepan set over medium heat. Stir in the milk and heavy cream, whisking continuously to prevent the egg yolks from scrambling.
    1 cup brown sugar, ½ cup all-purpose flour, 4 large egg yolks, 1 cup milk, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, 1 cup heavy cream
  • Whisk continuously for 3-4 minutes, until the mixture thickens to custard-like consistency. Set aside. (The custard-like mixture should be quite thick. If it's not, keep cooking and whisking and it will eventually thicken up.)
  • Add the granulated sugar to a separate saucepan or skillet over low-medium heat.
    1 cup granulated sugar
  • Using a wooden spoon, stir the sugar until it melts and caramelizes. Stir in the butter until incorporated. If tiny pieces of hardened caramel have formed, keep whisking over low-medium heat so they melt. 
    3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • Pour the caramelized sugar into the custard mixture, whisking until combined.
  • Pour the pie filling into the baked pie crust.
    1 9-inch pie crust
  • Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator.
  • Chill for at least 2 hours (overnight is best) or until the filling is set.
  • Top with whipped cream.
    Whipped cream

Video

Notes

  • Cook the custard and caramel simultaneously on separate burners so each stays warm before combining. 
  • You can strain the milk/cream mix to ensure there are no cooked egg pieces. 
  • Cook the caramel to no hotter than 245°F to prevent it from becoming hard when set.
  • Use leftover egg whites to make mini pavlovas, or Pignoli cookies! You can freeze egg whites for future use as well!
  • Nutritional information does not include optional ingredients.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 512kcal | Carbohydrates: 71g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 146mg | Sodium: 265mg | Potassium: 151mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 54g | Vitamin A: 748IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 1mg